Passing Trains
by Twonker
Summary: Free!AU Rei was a set person. He lead a strict, regulated life. Go to work, go home, go to work, go home. Those were his functions. That was his life. But what if an encounter with a young boy leads him to stray from his path? (Warning: Rating will go up with upcoming chapters.)
1. Chapter 1

**Note: The cover picture and characters mentioned in this fanfiction do not belong to me. Also, I have no idea what the trains are called in Japan, so if you have any idea, please message me. Gotta keep it somewhat accurate, you know? **

"I miss you

but I haven't met you yet"

-Bjork, "I Miss You"

* * *

Huge crowds of people hurried to and fro, like busy honey bees. Working businessmen, pretty schoolgirls, and parents with babies all boarded trains. People of all walks of life raised one foot, then the other to get a step closer to their destination. Transient, fleeting, they disappeared as quickly as they had come. Rei Ryugazaki stood in the bustling mob, holding a suitcase. Neat, rigid, and collected, he proceeded calmly to find the train heading to Tokyo's business district. His sharp eyes soon caught the words that he had hoped to see. "Tokyo - Marunouchi. Incoming, four minutes."

Smirking slightly, he walked towards the station where the train would arrive. Businessmen who resembled him greatly stood around impatiently, glancing at their watches. _They must have missed the last one_, he reckoned haughtily. _Too bad for them. They probably won't get on this one either._

A loud blare raised the crowd's heads. The long, easily recognizable train pulled in slowly. In the clear windows, the image of people pressed against each other appeared. Rei adjusted his framed glasses uneasily. He disliked such close contact, seeing it as an invasion of one's personal space. However, his logical side knew that this was the only way he could get to his office on time. Tightening his tie, the blue-haired man prepared himself for a full-on charge to the train.

* * *

It was not dignified, to say the least. A few threats and fist shakes had to be made to board the ever popular and overcrowded Marunouchi train. And even when Rei got in, there was a fit minutes of stalling, for the station guards had to either push the stray passengers in or force them out. But regardless, the train eventually took off.

As it stopped periodically, station by station, Rei could see that the train was emptying at a good pace. He could also see that a person was making quite a fuss a few feet away from where he was standing. Short, blonde, and dressed quite flashily, the man was everything he was not. Or rather, the boy. He was most certainly not what you would call a man. Young and fierce, he looked like he was in high school or perhaps even middle school. _Timeless._ That was the word.

His smooth, androgynous voice was almost shrill as he called out a middle-aged man, who seemed quite taken aback by the young boy. From what Rei could make out of the blonde boy's rapid-fire words, the other man had groped a girl. Rei's purple eyes stayed transfixed to the youthful male's. Those clear red eyes flared passionately, holding the groper in place. Though the groper could have easily overpowered the young boy, he stood transfixed to his spot, with a horribly ashamed expression on his face.

Rei was equally horrified, and fascinated with the strange passenger. He wasn't the average Japanese person, that was for sure. _Perhaps a Westerner? _thought Rei, but he quickly dismissed the thought. His Japanese was much too fluent. Even a foreigner who stayed in Japan for years would have some problems with communication. They would most certainly not employ the "vocabulary" that the blonde boy was currently spouting at the other man. Most definitely not.

Before he could delve into a deeper investigation, the train arrived at his destination, Marunouchi. Quickly, Rei gathered his things and walked out. In the back of his mind, he hoped that the heated situation between the blonde boy and the middle-aged man would settle over.

The time was eight AM by the time the blue-haired male got off the train. Letting out a long sigh, he sent gratitude up to the gods for surviving the hell that was crowded Tokyo trains. He headed to his job, forgetting the event that had transpired in the train within a few minutes.

* * *

"Hey, Ryugazaki! We have some samples for the ad. They're on your desk. Give them a look, will you?" said his boss, Mikoshiba. Seated in his comfortable, plush chair, he flipped through a stack of papers, skimming their contents. His spacious office's entrance was left open for incoming, high-ranked employees such as Ryugazaki, his secretary. Approachable with a good sense of leadership, Mikoshiba was the beacon of the Mikoshiba enterprise, a banking business. Having undertaken the role handed to him by his father and his father's predecessors, the fiery orange-haired male had showed himself more than capable of handling the duty as boss. Though he could have also pursued his interest of becoming a national swimmer, Mikoshiba had decided that the family business was the way to go. For what reason, Rei did not know yet.

"Yes, Mr. Mikoshiba. Right away." He was about to leave the room, but Mikoshiba spoke up again. "Ryuguzaki."

"Yes, Mr. Mikoshiba?"

"Can I ask you to do a favor?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What is the favor, exactly?"

"Well... you know the new employee, Matsuoka, right?"

"Yes, I am aware. What of him?"

"I would like you to take him out to dinner."

Silence. Rei stared at Mikoshiba, trying to discern what possible cause could compel his boss to say such a thing.

Mikoshiba caught his confusion. "I'll pay for the dinner. It's just that- he has a sister. Matsuoka Gou. Don't be fooled by her name though. She's a beauty. Anyways, if you could slip in a few questions about his family in your conversation, I would greatly appreciate it."

Rei stood uneasily before his boss, debating about whether to say yes or no. He wasn't a very social person. Mikoshiba surely would have noticed, since they had been working together for almost three years already. _Maybe he really needs my help, _reasoned Rei. _He_ _usually_ _isn't this shy and cautious. She must be the real deal. __Mr. Mikoshiba must be really enamored with the Gou woman._

But Rei would not have known the feeling. He had never felt any romantic attraction towards women. Perhaps admiration for their stunning beauty and grace, but not the kind that would make him want to start a relationship with them. His lack of passion worried him on a few occasions because he was at the age when men were seeking out possible wives. His parents were also clamoring, whenever they called from their suburban home. They expected grandchildren soon.

_Too soon. And this is not the time for such thoughts, _Rei reminded himself.

"So? Will you do it?" asked Mikoshiba, looking almost nervous as he waited for Rei's reply.

"Yes." He winced at his simple reply, but he could not take it back.

His orange-haired boss looked positively radiant, as he said, "My deepest gratitude, Ryugazaki. I knew I could count on you. Now here, let me write you the place that I booked for you and Matsuoka."

_I have been duped. _He stared blankly, as Mikoshiba scribbled down the info on a small note.

"Here." Smiling brightly, Rei's boss gave him the paper, and sent him off to start his work.

Fifteen minutes had passed since he arrived at the office. It was all it took to drain Rei of his energy for the day.

* * *

**Note: Timeless. That's the feeling I want to imbue into the story. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: *brainfarts***

"So special

but it hasn't happened yet"

-Bjork, "I Miss You"

* * *

Somehow, it didn't seem right to approach Matsuoka with such a weird purpose. _How can I possibly ask him to come to dinner with me- so that I can ask him about his sister- so that my boss has a chance with her? _Rei Ryugazaki scrunched up his face, concentrating hard. How could he go about it? What tactics could he use? How would Matsuoka react? What if he refused? Or got angry? Or even worse, knew about Rei's hidden reason for inviting him out?

The time was three PM. Another half hour and he would have to approach him.

_Too soon. _

Panicking slightly, Rei took out a sheet of paper and scribbled down the best ways to interact with Rin. He needed to be at his best, when he would meet Rin. _Calm down, Rei… imagine the ocean… slow, beautiful waves washing over the pale beach… clear blue skies and white clouds… yes, just take it slowly and be direct. If we're doing this, we're doing it beautifully. _

_Beautifully._

* * *

Despite his severe looks, Matsuoka Rin wasn't that hard to talk to. At a quarter past three, Rei found the red-haired male seated in one of the smaller cubicles, typing up a report. Seeing him so working so quietly and studiously, Rei felt a sense of relief. _He looks practical. He'll definitely listen to me._ This would turn out fine, just fine.

"Excuse me, Mr. Matsuoka."

"...hm?" Rin raised his sharp face up to glance at the blue-haired man. His thin eyebrows raised up questioningly. "Yes?"

"I don't think we've been introduced yet. My name is Rei Ryugazaki. You can just call me Ryugazaki. Nice to meet you." The words flowed out perfectly, like water. Rei felt a sense of pride well up in him. _Flawless. It's a good thing I practiced. _

Extending a hand towards Matsuoka, he allowed a small, professional smile to show through his features.

"...ah. My name's Matsuoka Rin. Nice to meet you too." Flashing a casual, sharp-toothed grin, Rin shook Rei's outstretched hand. His grip was firm, but there was a relaxed feeling to it. _He probably takes his time on things, _thought Rei.

They shook for a split-second, then let go. Before the silence could be dropped and the conversation ended, Rei said, "Do you have time this Thursday, Mr. Matsuoka?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess. Why? Is there something you want?" His blunt words caught the blue-haired male off guard, but he quickly recovered.

"Well, I booked a spot at this restaurant. The Flying Mackerel. The name's a bit... tacky, but the food's great. I've been meaning to check out the place for some time now. And, I was wondering, would you like to join me?"

Rin considered the proposal, looking quite serious in his pondering. His mouth moved a few times, as if to say something, but he would always close it before anything could be uttered. Rei watched, a bit perplexed by the other's behavior. _He looks like a fish out of water..._

Finally, gathering back his composure, Rin murmured in a low tone, "Not to be rude, but is there some reason why you're inviting me to this place?"

The dreaded question: why? Rei gulped suspiciously, stammering, "Well, I just thought that you deserve it since you're working so hard-"

"But we've only just met. How would you know about my work?"

"U-uh, well, people have told me-"

"People? And who would these people be?"

"That doesn't matter-"

"Oh?" Rin leaned back in his chair, folding his hands behind his neck. "But I want to know."

Rei chuckled awkwardly, trying to maintain a steady, confident composure. His mind raced for alternatives that could hide the purpose of his offer, and persuade the male to accept it without anymore questions. A few milliseconds was all it took for the blue-haired male to find the "alternative."

"Mr. Mikoshiba thinks very highly of you."

The red-haired male leaned back in, wearing a curious expression on his face. "The boss?"

"Yes. He thinks that you deserve a reward for your efforts."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You aren't pulling on my chain, are you?"

"No, I am not 'pulling on your chain.'"

"…huh. Wow. I don't know what to say."

In his mind, Rei thought, _You've already said quite enough._ Outwardly, he smiled patiently. He had good control over himself, thankfully.

"Well, I guess I could. I mean, I can't really say 'no,' can I?"

"No. You can't."

"Yeah… uh, so Thursday right? What time should I meet you?"

"Seven."

Rin nodded slowly. "Alright. What's the address to The Flying Mackerel?"

With a flourish, Rei pulled out a notecard with the address and the directions to it written on it. He had copied the address from the original note Mikoshiba gave him, and searched for the directions. _He couldn't get lost even if he wanted to,_ thought Rei, smirking inside.

The red-haired male took the card, and read over the contents. Rei gazed at him, studying his expressions. For a moment, the blue-haired male thought he saw a glint of fear pass over Rin's eyes, but he wasn't sure for the expression faded quickly.

After a brief silence, Rin spoke up, "Hey, um, I don't think I can make it." His low, hushed tone contrasted starkly with his earlier demeanor.

Rei raised an eyebrow, perplexed at the sudden change. "Why not? Is something wrong with the restaurant that I should know of?"

"Well…" He scratched the back of his neck, looking weirdly embarrassed. "This place… I used to go there. It had a different name then."

"Oh, I see. Is it because the name's too tacky? It's okay, I'm sure the fo-"

"No, no. That's not it. It's just, I'm on strained terms with some of the people who work there."

"Oh. Ohhh. Well."

"Yeah…"

"I guess we can't go there then."

"Sorry. Maybe another restaurant? I'll pay to make up for this."

Rei chuckled, waving his hand. "You don't have to do that. I'll find another restaurant that has a less tacky name. It will still be Thursday at seven. If it changes, I'll contact you. Is that okay with you?"

"It's fine."

With a nod, Rei said "goodbye," bowed, and turned to take his leave.

Before he could exit, Rin stood up, making an awful racket. "Wait! Uh, Ryugazaki."

"Yes?" _What do you want now? _he thought, feeling rather tired and stressed.

"…thanks, for doing this. I really appreciate it." Rin's face was flushed, as he thanked the other male. It was apparent that this was not something that came easily to him.

Rei could feel his demeanor soften a bit. He seemed like a nice guy. Quietly, the blue-haired male said, "It's nothing."

The two left it at that.

* * *

Afterwards, Rei couldn't help but feel bothered by Rin's enigmatic words. He wondered how bad the male's relationship with the workers could be, for him to avoid the restaurant completely. The more he thought about it, the more worked up he got. The blue-haired man wanted to meet the employees. He wanted to know what triggered such a break. Rei wanted the inside scoop.

His thirst for mystery was stirring up a storm within him.


End file.
